In her Eyes
by Angel Minerva McGonagall
Summary: Minerva and Severus' duelling scene in HPDH2. Who hasn't seen it? I hope everyone has. So everyone know's what I'm talking about. This is my take on what might have happened...inside the scene. Please read and let me know what you think!


A/N: Based on the short, but amazing scene in the DH part 2 movie! I know I might not have some of the dialogue perfectly, but it's been a while since I've seen the movie. I don't think anyone's done this scene before? Anyway…my take on it. I always loved Minerva in the scene. She's amazing. Oh, and need I mention that there isn't anything here that's mine? Ooh, the heartbreak.

Severus Snape billowed through the door of the Great Hall. The students stood in silence as they watched him with careful, guarded eyes. He billowed forward in his sweeping black robes and faced Alecto and Amycus, both whom were standing sentinel behind him.

"Many of you are surely wondering…why… I have summoned you to this place."

Severus paused and swept his gaze from the rows of the students.

"It has come to my attention that earlier this evening… Harry Potter was sighted in Hogsmeade."

The effect of that single sentence seemed to awaken the students. Murmurs rose and slight shuffling noises could be heard as the students muttered amongst themselves. Severus cut across the distraction with a faintly annoyed expression on his face.

"Now, should anyone… student _or _staff… attempt to aid Mr. Potter…"

Heads bowed and silence fell again as the students stared at the floor and thought of Harry…their savior.

"-they will be punished in a manner consistent with the severity of their transgressions…"

Near the back of the Hall, Minerva threw a quick glance at her colleagues, Horace Slughorn, Poppy Pomfrey, before bowing her head down in silence again.

"Furthermore…" Severus continued dangerously, "any person found to have knowledge of these events… who _fails to come forward…_ will be treated… as _equally guilty_."

Severus stopped speaking at that moment and raked his eyes over the students. The silence was so thick that Minerva could almost feel it choking her. Severus' eyes landed on her last of all, and Minerva summoned the coldest of stares that she could. Without breaking his imperious gaze, she continued to watch him, and only looked down again when he gave her a dismissive look and looked away.

"Now then," Severus resumed and began walking down the length of the Hall. The somber black ranks of students remained as immobile as if Petrified. Minerva clenched her fist around the handle of her wand and watched him approach her slowly.

"If anyone…has _any_ knowledge of Mr. Potter's movements this evening… I invite them to step forward…"

Again, Severus' eyes pierced Minerva's. She thinned her lips and stared back determinedly at him.

"…_now._" Severus hissed.

The longest pause permeated the Great Hall. Student and faculty alike were standing perfectly still. And suddenly, as if the spell had been broken, a lone figure stepped forward.

Harry Potter.

What had previously been deadly silence now broke into gasps of shock and frantic mutterings. Severus' expression remained as impassive as ever, though Minerva thought she could see the faintest trace of shock cross his dark eyes.

But the momentary disbelief vanished and was replaced by a hard, loathing glare that Severus fixed on Harry's face.

"It seems," Harry began heatedly, that despite your _exhaustive _defensive strategies, you still have a bit of a security problem, Headmaster."

Harry took care to place as much loathing into his tone as he said the last three syllables. Minerva closed her eyes and could almost feel the searing heat of Severus' stare as he bored his eyes into Harry.

Behind them, the doors of the Great Hall swung open and Kingsley Shacklebolt strode in majestically. Minerva felt her throat constrict as she saw the remaining members of Dumbledore's Army… her husband's army.

"I'm afraid it's quite extensive," Harry informed Severus. Bright green eyes cut from Dumbledore's Army and fixed themselves squarely on Severus' dark ones. Severus had to fight to keep the memory of Lily at bay. This was Potter… not Lily.

"How dare you stand where he stood," Harry said, his voice trembling with… was it rage or grief? Minerva wondered. In front of her, Minerva could see Severus' eyes flicker with an unidentifiable emotion.

"TELL THEM HOW IT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT!" Harry suddenly bellowed. "TELL THEM…HOW YOU LOOKED HIM IN THE EYE… A MAN WHO _TRUSTED YOU_…" Harry's voice cracked.

"And killed him. Tell them!" Harry stood, breathing hard, as he locked his accusatory gaze on the ex-Potions Master now Headmaster. Severus was shaking as well, remembering the true reason why he _had _to kill Albus. Suddenly, Severus heard Albus' voice echoing in his head.

_Lily… after all this time? _

It was because of Lily that Severus agreed grudgingly to keep Potter safe. Only because of her. Now Lily was dead. At that moment, Severus loathed Potter, loathed Albus, loathed himself. The position of Headmaster in which he had been unceremoniously shoved into by Albus… meant nothing to him.

As Severus swept his gaze once more past Harry's bright green, blazing eyes, Severus felt himself break.

_The boy has her eyes, Severus_…

Potter was the reason… the reminder to Severus everyday why he could never have his Lily. Severus curled his lip and drew out his wand, but unexpectedly, Minerva McGonagall simultaneously whipped hers out from her robes as she emerged from the ranks of students. She had her wand in dueling position as she shoved Harry away from harm.

The crowd of students gasped and hurriedly parted a ways as they retreated to the torch-lit walls.

Now face-to-face, Minerva glared into Severus' eyes with unmistakable hatred. Her chest was heaving and her wand was pointed directly at his heart. Severus faltered. His wand dropped a quarter of an inch, but immediately, he tightened his grip on his wand. He tried to communicate to her through Legilimency.

_Please, Minerva… I had to. Please try to understand._

Minerva's eyes narrowed and she kept her wand steady.

_How dare you do such a low down deed. Not Harry Potter, Severus. Not my Gryffindor lion… Severus, the time has gone since I thought I could forgive you. First Lily…James…then Al-Albus._

The slightest of trembles shook Minerva's lips, but the momentary flash of emotion went unnoticed by the enraptured crowd.

Minerva pressed her lips together so tightly that Severus saw them go deathly white. A second later, he barely deflected the spurt of fire that blasted out of her wand.

_Minerva…_ he pleaded with her inside her mind.

Minerva was past forgiveness. Second, third, fourth, and fifth bursts of fire shot out of her wand, each time increasing in intensity, until Severus knew his only redemption in her eyes, at least, would be to get rid of Voldemort's Hogwarts cronies: Alecto and Amycus. As a seventh spurt of deadly flame came hurtling his direction, Severus threw up his arms and the power of her curse, combined with the strength of his Shield Charm, instantly killed both Alecto and Amycus. Severus caught a glimpse of Minerva's pale, furious face in the flash of her fire, with her nostrils flared and her eyes blazing a more brilliant green than ever. Severus wasted hardly a glance at the prone figures on the ground as he swept upwards and disappeared into the night. The last words he ever heard Minerva speak to him were her enraged, accusing screams:

"**COWARD! **_Coward!"_

With the last splintering of glass shards and the receding of Severus' dark figure, the students of Hogwarts cheered. Cheered not only for Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, but for Minerva as well. Minerva felt a cool triumph in her heart as she turned on her heel and relit all the torches on the wall. The cheers were deafening. The students knew that, despite the cold and strict demeanor Professor McGonagall exuded on the outside, she would always be their mother lion; she would always be there to protect them.

/-/-/

Now with the crowd dispersed, Harry stood in the midst of it, hardly aware of the shouts and questions that his peers were bombarding him with. In his panic, he sought out Minerva, his Professor, his mentor, his Head of House.

She was chivvying the rest of the students to go assemble the battle line. Harry fought his way over to her and fell into step with her.

"Professor—" he began urgently.

"Potter, there must be a reason you are here. What is it you need?" Minerva asked tersely.

"Time, Professor, as much of it as you can give me."

Minerva nodded briskly and shooed the last students away. Harry felt extremely relieved that she did not question his request, but understood him completely.

"Do what you have to do," Minerva replied. "I'll secure the castle."

Harry nodded gratefully and turned to go. But Minerva had not acknowledged his gratitude; she was lost in her own thoughts as she suddenly saw in front of her, not the young man, but the little boy of eleven.

"Potter?" she suddenly said, halting Harry in his step and making him turn around.

As Harry looked into Minerva's eyes, she suddenly lost what she thought she was going to say. A thousand phrases spun through her head.

_I'm so proud of you… you are our hope… I've missed you… why did you come back… do you realize the danger… _

Minerva felt her throat constrict again and she fought to keep her tears and the lump in her throat at bay.

"It's…good to see you," she managed to choke out.

Harry smiled slightly. He understood the things she had wanted to say to him; he saw them all in her eyes.

"It's good to see you, too, Professor."

A/N: All right. Come on. You KNOW you just want to hit that lil review button. So please do and leave me a little note!


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